


Color Shifts

by RayByAnotherName



Category: RWBY
Genre: Child Abuse, Childhood Trauma, Domestic Violence, F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-09
Updated: 2020-03-09
Packaged: 2021-02-26 07:22:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,274
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21729748
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RayByAnotherName/pseuds/RayByAnotherName
Summary: Drabbles for Qrowin Fest 2019!Moments from the lives of Qrow Branwen and Winter Schnee, each inspired by a different color/corresponding emotion.
Relationships: Qrow Branwen/Winter Schnee
Comments: 8
Kudos: 25





	1. Day 0 - Black/Fear

Raven snapped at the elders, teeth barred and blood on her hands. She stood in front of Qrow, brandishing blades in both hands.

"You want him, you have to go through me!" 

Qrow clammered to his feet, legs shaking as he stood. Bruises littered his body. His mouth tasted of metal. Raven's aura reached out to smother him in her protection. 

The bandits in front of them were glaring at Raven, eyes flickering between her and their comrade on the ground already choking on his own blood. 

-.-.-

Winter stayed hidden. She had squeezed herself between two bookshelves just as her parents had come in to the library. 

"Your father doesn't listen!"  
"It's his company, Jacques, you just -"

*slap* 

Winter flinched away as her mother went silent. She squeezed her eyes shut as her father's words grew sharper. 

When her father left, Winter slipped out to find her mother sitting in one of the chairs. Her hand moved gently over her protruding belly.

"Mother?" 

Willow's head turned to look at her. Her blue eyes were glazed over and her cheeks dry despite the tear tracks through her makeup. Neither of them smiled.


	2. Day 1 - Blue/Cold

The gardens were more white than green as Winter walked beside her grandfather. He limped slightly, and he leaned heavily on his cane, but he walked. And Winter was happy to flit from one frozen rose bush to another as she buzzed around him, not unlike the bees she'd read about with her tutors. 

"If the bees don't come this far north, how do they get pollinated?" Winter looked over her shoulder at Nicholas Schnee with wide eyes and a deep frown. 

He smiled at her, grin stretching his cheeks, "Bees aren't the only pollinators in the world." Nicholas stroked his bushy beard and scrunched eyes up, "But I must admit I don't know which ones could survive the tundra." 

Winter's frown deepened. Nicholas watched her turn back to the rose bush with a furrowed brow. 

"If you find out, you let me know, Winter," Nicholas took a heavy breath as he began to turn around. Winter skipped back to his side. "You're the smartest on in this family, so I know you'll figure it out."

The smile that graced Winter's face warmed Nicholas better than the fire that awaited him in his study. It flickered away quickly when she caught sight of her father waited for them at the back door. 

"You're meant to be studying with your tutor, young lady!" 

The face of stone that fell over Winter's expressions was pure frost and Nicholas shivered at the sight. 

"You shouldn't be taking your grandfather outside anyway, he could get sick, being exposed to that sort of weather." Jacques voice did not sound displeased with the notion as he reprimanded his daughter and Nicholas glowered at his back as the man dragged the girl away. 

"Come find me after your studying, Winter," Nicholas voice carried the command over Jacques' protest. "We'll see if we can't find the answer to your question together."

Winter nodded, eyes sparkling with excitement even as the rest of her face stayed frozen. Jacques pulled her away, and Nicholas retired to his fireplace and his books for the last time. 

-.-.-

Raven stomped ahead of him onto the boat. Qrow followed slowly, silently. Everyone saw his sister and no one saw him - just as it was meant to be. 

The tribe had 'payed' for Raven's ticket to Vale, but Qrow had not been included. It wasn't a problem, of course, Qrow and Raven were perfectly capable of sneaking him aboard. 

The crew was already afraid of the Branwen Tribe, but Raven… well, she was both attractive and intimidating. Every eye was on her as she walked on board. She barked questions at the captain - which sounded more like orders to anyone with ears - and Qrow slipped into the cargo hold without anyone hearing a creak. 

It wasn't till they got underway that Qrow recognized the flaw in their plan. The cargo hold was the bottom of the boat, the furthest underwater. 

"Damn it…" Qrow cursed as he shivered. His breath came out in foggy puffs. He rubbed his hands over his arms rapidly. His aura was keeping him warmer than his shirt at this point. 

Qrow found himself wishing Raven would portal in, preferably with a blanket. But… she wouldn't have a way back. And three decks on a moving boat was beyond her current capabilities. 

"Not that I'd tell her that." Qrow muttered to himself as he started to pace. Movement equaled warmth, and Qrow refused to admit that he was cold. That would be admitting defeat. Losing. And Branwens who lost, died. No exceptions.


	3. Day 2 - Yellow/Hope

It was very difficult to picture anyone hurting Taiyang. He smiled openly. He laughed freely. He would sling an arm around Qrow's shoulder and pull him closer when he thought Qrow was upset. 

Qrow still didn't know what tipped Tai off, but he was batting a thousand so far. It was annoying, and frustrating. But…

"Okay! Hit me with your best shot!" Tai bounced from foot to to, arms wide and fingers loose. Qrow raised an eyebrow, and his rifle. When the bullet slammed into Tai's aura it sent a ripple through the yellow glow. 

Tai's eyes flashed red for the briefest of moments. When it flashed away, Tai cheered. His arms went high into the air. Qrow chuckled. 

"Most people don't get excited when their aura fails…" Arow drawled as he walked across the fighting ring. 

His blond teammate just grinned. "I'm not most people." The cheering continued and Tai hooked an arm around Qrow's neck, "Let's get lunch!" 

Tai settled more of his weight on Qrow as they walked towards the cafeteria. Qrow whined the whole way. 

But Tai kept on smiling. 

-.-.-

Weiss was born in the morning. She'd been little more than squalling mess wrapped in a pale blue blanket. Klaus fluttered about her, quieting her with ease before setting the newborn in a bassinet beside Willow's bed.

The Schnee heiress had never been paler. Winter worried her bottom lip between her teeth as Willow sat up. Jaques looked over her with a wrinkled nose before stepping up to the bassinet.

"Another girl." Jacques scoffed and stalked from the room. Willow didn't even flinch. She slipped back against her pillows. Klaus appeared at her side to pull the blankets tight around her side. 

"Not to worry, madame," Klaus whispered with a smile, "I'll look after the baby, you just rest." 

Winter hears her mother speak, mumbled gratitude that is muffled by fabric and by distance. Once Klaus has left the room, feet quiet on the squeaky floor, Winter slips from her hiding spot in the closet. 

She rests her arms on the edge of the bassinet as she stares down at her new little sister. Her skin is pale, but a red blush is brushed across her cheeks and her nose like paint across a blank canvas. Tuffs of white hair curled around the top of her head, too short to be anything but a tangled nest. 

"Hello, little sister," Winter whispered, ducking her head low to keep from waking her mother. "I'm Winter." 

Weiss opened her eyes, blinking blurry eyes up at her sister. She didn't scream or cry. She just started up at Winter, eyes wide with wonder. 

The sun streamed through the window, casting a yellow glow over the pair of sisters. Winter smiled as Weiss wiggled about, swaddled tight so she couldn't get her arms out. 

"Don't worry," Winter whispered as she lay a hand over Weiss's tiny body. The baby stilled, "I'm here for you."


End file.
